Business as usual: Residents of Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, cross the Ciliwung River on Monday. Some local riverbank-dwellers have been relocated to the West Jatinegara low-cost apartments (rusunawa), while others refused to move.( JP/P.J. Leo)

The Jakarta administration started on Monday relocating residents living on the banks of the Ciliwung River in Kampung Pulo, East Jakarta, to the Jatinegara Baru low-cost apartment (rusunawa).

East Jakarta Mayor Bambang Musyawardana said his municipality provided 20 trucks to facilitate the relocation. After relocating all 518 families, the administration will demolish the houses to make way for the normalization of the Ciliwung River.

Bambang said that 403 of the 518 riverbank families had signed up for apartments. The rusunawa has 520 apartments. Kompas.com reported that as of Monday afternoon, 105 families had received the keys to their new apartments.

He went on to say that the apartments were free of charge for the first three months, after which tenants would be charged Rp 300,000 (US$22.50) per month.